World Music Summer School

Classes and workshops run throughout June and July and offer students the chance to immerse themselves in musical traditions ranging from Indian tabla drums, Middle Eastern Darbuka, African mbira, Mongolian singing, Cuban big band, Jewish songs, Balinese gamelan, and Chinese opera.

The courses are designed for students of all backgrounds from beginners to advanced, amateur and professional.

The Department benefits from being situated in the heart of London, home to many vibrant international communities and famous for its thriving musical cultures. Every year, London is host to a breath-taking array of world music concerts and festivals. SOAS students are able to actively participate in this rich and varied musical life, and music plays an important part of the overall student experience on campus.

“There are free concerts with widely recognised musicians from all over the world.”

Marina di Giorgi, MMus Ethnomusicology

The MMus Ethnomusicology is tailored for musicians and musicologists, anthropologists, teachers and composers, as well as students keen to develop an in-depth understanding of a specific music tradition.

Students on the course join the largest and most influential team of ethnomusicologists in the UK and are able to share in their expertise in the musical traditions of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia and the Jewish world.

The programme has provided students a springboard into further research and into employment in a wide range of music-related industries, including journalism, NGOs, industry and education.